


The Family Business

by Civilliany



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-08
Updated: 2014-01-08
Packaged: 2018-01-04 02:32:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1075498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Civilliany/pseuds/Civilliany
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU-ish story set in the future where Elizabeth Keen and Donald Ressler are married and have a little girl together. Liz and Don are living quite a happy life with their little girl, while balancing their work at the FBI. That is until their Christmas plans are disrupted by a number of unknown assailants, and Red of course.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fanfic so please be kind. I would love any feedback from you guys. I'm going to try and work out the kinks as I move along.
> 
> I am in love with the show The Blacklist and the characters have really inspired me to write, so here I am. 
> 
> This story will consist of a series of chapters so bear with me.

Late Sunday Morning 

Don never imagined his life would end up as it had. He never imagined that he would be able to move past his previous relationship with Audrey, never be able to put something else, someone else ahead of his job, and never be able to put his pursuit of Raymond Reddington to bed. But he had, he moved past his relationship with Audrey and formed an unbreakable loving bond with Elizabeth, his wife. They both moved past the scars that others had left and formed their own family. Don was able to move beyond catching Red. To put to bed trying to catch an uncatchable man, a man that he was now connected with, even if he hated the thought of it… 

“Daddy,” screeched Allegra breaking Don from his train of thought. 

“Yes, Pumpkin,” replied an amused Don. 

“I want pancakes for breakfast, with whip cream, and chocolate chips and cinnamon sprinkles,” retorted Allegra happily. 

“Do you?” replied Don jokingly. Allegra had recently celebrated her third birthday and with every passing birthday she seemed to inherit Liz’s ability to make him smile. Something that he rarely did before Elizabeth Keen stormed into his life. Elizabeth Ressler as she was now known was his light, a light he fought hard to keep safe, from extinguishing as her previous life crumbled around her as she found out that her entire life had been a lie. Tom Keen, her first husband was a liar and a killer, a mole implanted into her life by Red’s enemies to keep tabs on her. She was Raymond Reddington’s biological daughter, a daughter that no one had known about and that Red had thought no one would discover. He was there to help rebuild her life after it was shattered by the person she loved and trusted most. Through that bond they created something that neither of them thought they could truly have, a family, a loving unbreakable bond, which lies and secrets were never a part of the equation. This was one of the promises they made each other when they began their relationship. 

“Yes, daddy,” retorted Allegra. Donald may have been the toughest FBI agent at the Bureau having faced down some of the world’s toughest criminals but he was no match against his little girl. 

“Just don’t tell mama that I gave you whip cream too, okay sweetie?” replied Don in a joking manner, “You’re not supposed to have sugar this early in the morning.” 

“Of course, daddy,” said Allegra smiling the widest toothiest grin a three year old could have.

“And here I thought we had a no secrets rule in this house,” said Liz in an accusatory voice from the kitchen doorway. 

“No secrets here mama,” as Allegra ran happily into her mother’s open arms, “just whip cream.” 

“I thought you were going to sleep in a little longer?” asked Don.

“I am fine, stop coddling me Don!” interjected Liz. 

Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, the FBI, the CIA, Allegra, and even Red, the Ressler family was going to be getting a new member in about 7 months’ time. Don and Liz had been able to keep the news under wraps at work for the most part. Luckily the morning sickness with baby number two seemed to have been a significantly less than with Allegra. The name Allegra meant happiness and joy, something that she brought to them with even greater amount when she was born. 

Don remembered that night when Allegra was born, it was a cold and wintery night. Both he and Liz had spent most of the day at the office. She had refused to go on maternity leave until she felt she needed it. She was nearing closer and closer to her due date but she was unwilling to relent to Don’s pleads to go on maternity leave. Everyone in the office thought she needed to as they began to notice her slight waddling as her pregnancy developed, but none were willing to say a thing. Not even Director Cooper, who had been on the receiving end of one of Liz’s hormonal rants after he pulled her off all active duty. Liz had been feeling weird and having slight stomach cramps all day but it was around 8 at night when her pains really began to kick. It was actually Meera that noticed how uncomfortable Liz was looking. In a matter of minutes from Meera noticing that Liz didn’t look well to the office erupting in chaos, Liz’s water had broken. It was the one time that the agents working in the Post Office, and Director Cooper, witnessed what an uncontrolled Donald Ressler look liked. 

“I know,” as he laid a kiss on Liz’s head and placed a hand on her belly, “I just want everything to be okay.” 

“Everything is going to be okay, as long as we keep doing what we are doing, baby,” as she gripped his hands. 

That earned a Liz one of Don’s small smiles, ones that he reserved only for her when he was at his absolute happiest. Sunday was family day in the Ressler household. From the moment that they had found out that they were pregnant they made the decision that whatever happened that their family would always come first. And they had been able to keep that promise. It was the same promise that Don made to himself the day he asked Liz to marry him, it was the same promise that they made to each other when they said their wedding vows. Family would always come first. They would always come first, no matter what happened in the world.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going about writing this story in a very slow fashion, so bear with me. I know its really slow now but I promise once I get the time to sit down and write, the story will move along a lot faster. Also I really want to build up the relationship between Liz and Don since we really haven't seen that in the show.

Liz had made the decision that this year they were going to get a real Christmas tree, not one of those plastic ones that they had for the past two, but a real one that smelled like Christmas. She wanted them as a family to create traditions, something that she had very little of as a child growing up. And what better way to do so than getting a real Christmas tree, every Christmas. 

Liz watched happily as Don tried to get their little girl dressed in her winter wear, something that had turned into a game for Allegra. 

“Sweetheart, you’ve got to sit still so I can get your jacket and boots on,” grumbled an increasingly impatient Don as he tried to get one of her boots on as she continued to wiggle around on the seat. 

“I want to do it myself, daddy,” cried Allegra, “I am big girl now, I’m three years old!” 

“I know you’re a big girl, sweetie, but it’s cold outside and last time I let you dress yourself you ended up with your mitts on you head, your scarf as a belt and your hat as a mitt,” replied Don.

“Maybe that was what I was trying to do, daddy,” replied a haughty Allegra. This, Don knew, was the beginning of his little girls rebellion, something that he had learnt was an inherent part of Elizabeth, and one that he hope to dear god would dampened in his little girl. 

These little scenes between father and daughter made Liz’s heart glow. She wanted her little girl to have everything she never had and at the top of that list was a father whose whole world revolved around her. It was never that Sam, her adoptive father, didn’t put her at the centre of the world. He did. But she knew deep down that the resentment that came with being abandoned would always colour her relationship with Sam. She never wanted anything to colour her daughter’s relationship with her father, she knew that Don would do anything for his little girl. That he would never intentionally or unintentionally hurt her. She knew that Don would do everything in his power to protect their little girl. 

As the family of three moved into their car and drove, a man in a concealed black SUV watched and waited on orders. 

The Ressler family had arrived in the middle of the Christmas chaos at the farmer’s market. People running around buying gifts and wares all while Christmas carols blasted out of overhead speakers. 

“Wow, it’s so pretty, mama” said an amazed Allegra. 

“Isn’t it, sweetie,” replied Liz. 

“Now, Pumpkin, you’ve got to keep holding hands with either me or your mother. We don’t want to lose you in this chaos, okay?” stated Don. 

“I know, daddy,” replied Allegra. 

Allegra was constantly amazed by the sounds and sights of a Christmas themed farmer’s market as they walked around and more amazed at the amount of trees there were to choose from. She wanted to touch and smell, and eat everything. That was something she inherited from her father thought Liz as she watched Allegra cram a chocolate tart in her mouth. 

“Slow down kiddo, or you’re going to get yourself sick if you keep eating so much chocolate,” said Liz is a slightly scolded voice. 

“Chocolate,” mumbled a happy Allegra. 

For the rest of the afternoon the Ressler family walked around the market, enjoyed all there was to see and savour. They even went ice skating, Liz and Allegra were naturals. Don on the other hand was like a fowl learning to walk, on ice. Ever the stoic man, Don tried unsuccessfully to keep his balance, which earned him quite a few giggles from his girls after falling flat on his face. 

“I need to go to the washroom,” stated Allegra while they were taking off their skates.

“All that hot chocolate getting to you, kiddo?” joked Liz. 

Allegra replied to her mother’s line of questioning with a facial expression that her parents had gotten very use. Her pouty-haughty-mom-please face as they liked to refer to it in private, something that made them both chuckle. 

“Alright bub, let’s got to the washroom,” said Liz as she grabbed her little girl’s hand. “Honey, we’ll meet you near the entrance,” as she kissed Don on the cheek.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has taken me so long to put up a new chapter but life has gotten in the way (school, work, case of the flu, etc.) I am aiming to finish this series by Christmas day. Hope you guys continue the enjoy Elizabeth and Donald's story!

As he watched his wife and child walk away he couldn’t think of a time he was this content. They represented everything that he thought he would never have and everything that he would protect with his life. His wife and children were the only thing that mattered and all that came first. 

As he waited by the entrance to the farmer’s market he thought back to the day that Liz had told him they were pregnant. He had been awakened by the first rays of sunlight streaming into the window. As the sun rose all he did was stare at her, she was the most beautiful thing in the world to him. He was the luckiest man in the world. He saved her and in return she saved him. They had seen each other at the lowest points of both their lives after everything that their personal and professional lives had put them through. Audrey, Tom, and even Red were just blips on their radar. Overcoming those obstacles had brought them closer together and eventually that closeness formed into something magical. A relationship that neither of them thought they could ever have. 

“I know you’re staring,” said Liz sleepily. 

“Really? And why would I be staring at you this early in the morning when I can watch a beautiful sunrise instead?” replied Don amusingly. 

“Well, I think you know why,” replied Liz as she climbed on top of him.

“Well I definitely know why now,” as he began to kiss her. Slowly at first, then turning into something more heated. 

They awoke a few hours later. 

“Don, I have something to tell you,” said Liz in an uncharacteristic quiet voice. 

“If you want another round, you’re gonna have to give me some time to recuperate.”

“I’m pregnant.” 

Don stared at her, in total stunned silence for what felt like hours before she broke his train of thought.

“I know that we’ve talked about kids, and having kids and we knew it was going to be tough but can you say something and stop staring at me like I’ve gone crazy.” 

“You’re pregnant,” replied Don in an incredulous and amazed voice. 

“We’re pregnant,” said Liz with happy tears in her eyes. 

That was one of the best days of his life. It was also one of his happiest days too. All Don could do was smile at relieving that memory. He knew from the moment onward that he would do everything in his power to keep his wife and child safe. When Liz had told him a second time, less than two weeks ago, that she was again pregnant he nearly did a happy dance in the middle of their kitchen, a very uncharacteristic move for Donald Ressler. 

Don was ripped from his trip down memory lane when gun shots and screaming rang out in the middle of the market.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably the chapter I have uncertain of the most in terms of my writing. I don't feel like I'm getting the breadth of the situation across in my writing. Most likely this chapter will be tweaked or completely overhaul but I really wanted to get this chapter up today. Hope you guys like it and as always if you have any advice on how to make it better please feel free to comment. Thanks :)

The moment that Liz heard the gun shots she grabbed Allegra and ran from the source of the sound. In that moment all she could think about was the safety of Allegra. She could feel her phone buzzing in her pocket, knowing that it was Don calling her but all she could think about was getting Allegra away. Allegra’s safety was the only thing on her mind at the moment. 

Unfortunately the fates had something else in plan for the Ressler family that day. 

As Don rushed towards the scene he could see that the people firing guns were not just random thugs. They were dressed in all black with semi-automatic handguns. The weird thing was that they were not firing at the crowds of people but at vacated stalls instead. In that moment he knew that the shooting was a diversion, but a diversion for what? 

Then he heard it, the most frightening sound he had ever heard, his little girl’s screams. Screams that awaken a parent from the deepest slumber in order to comfort their child after a nightmare. Screams that make a father run up stairs three at a time. Screams that Donald never wanted to hear. 

“Mama,” screamed Allegra while struggling in the arms of one of shooters. 

“Let my daughter go,” exclaimed Liz as she struggled to escape from the grip of two gunmen. 

The scene that welcomed Don was something that he had only witnessed on the job, hostile gunmen in an open public area with hostages and numerous bystanders. The only difference was that the hostages were his whole world, his wife and child. 

“I would stop right there Agent Ressler. Wouldn’t want anything to happen to your wife and child would we?” announced one of the gunmen who Don quickly assessed to be the leader of the group. 

Donald stopped in his tracks. Hundreds of questions began streaming into his mind. How did he know my name? How did he know that Elizabeth and Allegra were his wife and daughter? Why were they here? Why are they holding my family by gun point? 

“I know that you must have million questions, Agent Ressler, but I advise you to keep to them to yourself for now. You’ll eventually get the answers,” snickered sinisterly by the lead gunman. 

“I, however, am not the one to answer your questions Agent Ressler. I am just a mere messenger. I do have a question to ask you, and you’ll want to pay close attention to what I have to ask as it will have life-altering effects on yourself. You have to decide between your wife or your child?”

In that moment Donald’s mind froze. His mind had never failed him before. In every high-pressure, high-risk situation his job had put him in he was always able to rationalize the situation and the different elements involved and calculate the outcomes possible. But in that moment he froze. 

“Don,” called Elizabeth. 

Don knew that his decision had already been made for him when he looked into his wife’s eyes. It was the same look she gave to him when they were faced with a similar life-and-death situation due to Anslo Garrick. It was the look that told him that he had a greater duty than to her. The look telling him that their daughter was the only choice he had. 

“Allegra,” said Don in the most heartbreaking choice he ever had to make. 

“That was a very wise decision Agent Ressler,” noted the lead gunman as Allegra was released by the gunmen. 

The situation that unfolded after the gunmen released Allegra was a blur to Donald. Three black SUVs pulled up next to the gunmen of which they filed into in a very efficient manner with his wife in tow. He could not remember much struggling between the gunmen and Elizabeth or anything else for that matter. The one thing he could remember was the promise he made to Elizabeth when he looked into her eyes before the gunmen put her into the car that whatever it took, wherever she was, he was going to find her and he was going to bring her home, to him and to Allegra.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter I have written for this story, but I felt like I had to get all this out. Liz and Don's story is just too intriguing for me not to write. Also I am desperately awaiting Jan 13 for new Blacklist episodes and writing this is helping a lot. Sorry for the delay, I have yet again been struck down with a cold and trying to write in between coughing fits is proving to be quite difficult. I am really aiming to finish this story by Christmas but circumstances do change. Again, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter and the continuation of Liz and Don's story and thank you for all the support!

“I need a situation report Agent Malik,” demanded Director Cooper over a secure FBI line. 

As Agent Malik surveyed the farmer’s market she took note of the tire marks, the bullet casings and the lack of actual useable evidence that the gunmen/kidnappers had left behind. She had never seen a scene so disorganized yet so uncontaminated before. The eye witness’s testimonies were also proving to be unhelpful. 

“It was definitely a professional job. I can’t find any useable evidence that may lead us to where they may be holding Liz,” said an exasperated Meera. Over the years of working together with Liz, Donald, and begrudgingly with Reddington, she had created significant relationships with her colleagues, Liz especially. She and Liz had become very close friends over the years of working together. Overcoming the serious obstacles that come with trying to capture some of the world’s most notorious and dangerous criminals while trying to maintain an actual life outside of work had meant creating a powerful friendship with Liz. Liz and her had become so close that when it came time to choose a godmother for Allegra, Meera was the only choice for Liz. 

“Gather what else you can and meet me at Ressler’s house,” ordered Cooper. 

As she hung her phone, Meera noticed a cellphone near one of the stands near where the kidnappers entered their get-away vehicles. As she picked up the phone she noticed a message – ‘Do you have her?’ – scrawling across the screen. The moment she saw the message she knew that the phone was the only credible piece of evidence linking them to the kidnappers. 

“Aram,” Meera beckoned, “here, take it analyze it, trace it, do whatever you need to do to find me something that will lead us to Liz.” 

“Contact me when you have something, I’m headed over Ressler’s house.” 

… 

“That’s all I can remember. It’s all just a blur,” said Ressler exhausted with his head in both his hands as he recounted everything he could remember to Cooper.

“They knew I was FBI. They knew about Liz and Allegra. This has to be connected to be connected to something I’ve worked on. I don’t know why else someone would target us. I don’t know why else they would target me.” 

Cooper responded quickly, “we already have agents going over every case you ever worked on to see if there are any connections. While that is happening we’re going to set up a secondary home base here in case the kidnappers call and state their demands.” 

Director Cooper had known Donald for a long time. He had seen the agent pass through numerous hardships on the job with his characteristic blunt unwavering forceful attitude. He had never seen this so self-assured and confident agent ever truly rattled, even on the brink of death when he had had his leg nearly blown off during Anslo Garrick’s assault on the Post Office. But he knew that this circumstance was different. This was not Agent Donald Ressler facing a kidnapping case. This was Donald Ressler the husband and father facing the kidnapping of his wife by unknown forces that may be connected to his job. 

“Daddy,” called Allegra from the doorway. 

“Hey, Pumpkin,” as he picked up Allegra, “all awake from your nap?”

“Yes, daddy. Where’s mommy? I want to help put up the Christmas tree. Mommy says I can help with the babbles this year,” asked Allegra in an acerbic manner that only a three year old could possess. 

As Donald looked into his daughter’s eyes he could not formulate an answer for his little girl’s question. He didn’t know where the mother of his child was and that frightened him more than anything. 

Cooper saw that Donald was struggling to come up with an answer, watching him start and stop every time he tried to say something to his daughter. He decided to interject to allow Donald more time to come up with an answer suitable for his daughter. 

“Hello, Allegra. Do you remember me? I’m Director Cooper. We met last year during that summer picnic.” 

“I remember. You work with my mommy and daddy,” replied a slightly amused Allegra. 

“That’s right, sweetheart. I do work with your mommy and daddy. I also work with your aunty Meera.” 

“Do you?” asked Allegra as her eyes widened in surprise. 

As Allegra continued her conversation with Cooper on the couch, Donald witnessed Meera entering the front door. 

“Any news,” asked Donald slightly agitated before Meera fully entered the front hallway. 

“I found a burner, most likely one of the kidnappers that was dropped when they were taking Liz. There was a message on the screen. It said ‘Do you have her?’ – nothing else. Aram is analyzing it right now, he’s going to contact me the moment he has something. This was definitely a professional job. The scene was too perfectly disorganized. There was also no useable evidence at the scene.” 

As Meera recounted everything she had learned at the crime scene she couldn’t help but notice how rattled and agitated Donald was. While she did not have as close a relationship with Donald that she had with Liz she understood and observed him enough to know that he was out of his element. He was usually the first agent out into any type of station, guns blazing usually. Donald Ressler was not the type of person to sit and wait, he was an action man which why he was so well suited to work as a black-ops FBI agent. 

“We’re going to find her, Don. We’re going to bring her home,” spoke Meera to try and assure Donald. 

Meera and Cooper stayed until the late evening with a contingent of FBI agents awaiting any contact from the kidnappers, but none came. After Donald had gotten Allegra to go to bed for the night and nearly all the agents that had been in his house all day had left he finally told Cooper and Meera the news.

“Liz is nearly three months pregnant. We found out a couple of weeks ago and we were going to wait but I feel it’s prudent to tell you both now.”

“That heightens the risk and the urgency to find Liz even more now. You should have told us sooner,” replied a surprisingly calm Cooper. 

“We’re going to do everything to bring both of them home, Don. Just try and get some sleep, okay,” replied Meera still slightly shocked from the bombshell that Liz was pregnant. 

… 

It was nearly two in the morning and Don could not fall asleep. All he could think about was Liz. Where she was? Was she okay? Was the baby okay? What was happening to them? He did not like not being in control. He did not like feeling helpless, especially when his wife was concerned. He felt like he couldn’t really breathe. It was the same phenomenon that he felt every time that Liz was in the field and in the line of danger. He could never truly breathe when she was in danger, when he was unable to protect her. He was affected by the phenomenon the first time soon after he and Liz had begun dating. She was in a nightclub trying to get closer to one of their intended targets and he was stuck in the surveillance van watching and listening to the entire scene unfold. He felt like the wind had been knocked out of him, he couldn’t breathe; he couldn’t take in a real breath knowing that she was in danger. He knew that she experienced the same phenomenon every time he was in the field, that inability to really breathe when their other half was in danger. He knew their jobs carried an inherent risk and after Allegra’s birth Liz had begun to slightly decrease her role in the more dangerous field work which greatly reduced his stress and increased his ability to breathe. 

Don’s thoughts drifted to when he and Liz got married as he sat in he nearly darkened living room staring at their wedding photo on the mantle. They had eloped in Bora Bora, surrounded by the ocean with no one but the priest and one of the resorts managers as their witness. They had been engaged for nearly six months but had not really begun to plan their wedding. They were having a hard time trying to figure out what kind of wedding they would hold, especially for Liz who had her first wedding to Tom in the back of her mind. When they reached the resort and saw the magnificence that mother nature had to offer on the small island they decided that they had to get married there before they left. Two days into their vacation they contacted hotel management and got their wedding on the roll. 

He still remembered exactly how she looked as she walked towards him on the patio back-dropped by the setting sun. She was the ultimate definition of beautiful to him. Her smile was beaming, she was beaming. She was wearing a beautiful flowing white maxi dress, carrying a small bouquet of flowers from their hotel suite. Her hair was artfully done up in a small bun with a flower poking out of it. Her eyes were bright, her cheeks were pink and her lips were a tasty looking cherry red colour. He remembered how happy he was that she was finally truly all his. 

“So, how did you like our wedding, husband?” asked Liz as she and Don slowly rocked back and forth of their patio deck dancing slowly in the dark lit only by the underwater lights emitting from hotel suite. 

“It was magnificent, but not as magnificent as you.” 

“You are such a charmer aren’t you, Donald Ressler?” 

“Well I did get you to marry me didn’t I,” replied a happily dazed Donald. 

“That I did and I couldn’t have made a better choice,” as Liz slowly rose on her tiptoes to kiss Don.

They had overcome so much together as a couple and separately as individuals and their marriage was a culmination of everything they had overcome and all the good and happiness they had created together. Don couldn’t be happier that he was finally Liz’s husband. He couldn’t be more ready to take on the role as her protector, lover and best friend and he knew she felt the same. 

Don’s thoughts were interrupted by knocking on the door by one of the local officers assigned to protect the house. 

“Agent Ressler, there is a man here wanting to see you. He says he is your father-in-law,” declared on of the officers through the door. 

As Donald opened the door he came face to face with the man in question. 

“Well, why don’t you invite you father-in-law in Donald. It’s quite rude not to,” stated Raymond Reddington.


	6. Chapter 6

“Well, Donald, aren’t you going to invite me in,” asked Red for a second time. 

“You can let him in, Officer,” answered Donald begrudgingly. 

“Why are you here, Red,” asked Donald as he lead the two of them into the living room. 

“You know damn well why I am here, Donald. I entrusted you with the one thing I find most precious in the world and you lose her,” replied a snarky Reddington. 

“I did not lose her! She was taken from me!” replied Donald raising his voice ever so slightly. 

“Well you didn’t really put up much of a fight did you, Donald. You lost her and I am here to find her.” 

Donald let out a slight hysterical laugh when he heard Red say those words. 

“Find her? You abandoned her for 20 years of her life for what, a life of crime, and then waltz back in after all that time and acting like nothing happened. You have done nothing but hurt her, Red. You have put her in more danger than anyone can fully comprehend. The mere fact that she is Raymond Reddington’s daughter puts a giant bull’s eye on her back. And there is no way in hell that I am going to entrust finding her in your hands,” fired Donald. 

“Well said, Donald, but you’re missing the point here. I am not the reason for my daughter’s kidnapping, you are. I am merely here as a courtesy call to inform you of my plans to find Lizzie. I am not here for your permission to find my own daughter,” Reddington countered. 

“When you married my Lizzie I knew that she was going to be taken care of. I know that you are the only reason that she is the person she is today after what she went through with that worthless human being called Tom Keen. I know that you have given her more happiness than anyone else on this planet, and I am grateful for that, Donald. But do not stand there and believe that I do not have my daughter’s best intentions at heart. I know who took her, Donald, and I know how to get her back. The question is are you going to help me or are you going to be the good little FBI agent and wait for the information to trickle through?” 

As Donald was about to answer Red’s question he noticed that his little girl was standing in the doorway to the living room. 

“Pumpkin, what are you doing up?” asked Donald as he rushed over to pick up Allegra. 

“I heard you talking, daddy. I thought mama was home. I wanted her to read me my bedtime story like she always does,” replied a sleepy Allegra as she snuggled into her father’s arms. 

Reddington was slightly shocked to see Allegra and realized that she really was a spitting image of his Lizzie. From her features, to her physicality, even the stuffed bunny rabbit that she held, everything about Allegra reminded him of his daughter at that age. A period where he was a loving father in his daughter’s eyes and nothing else. Red remembered clearly the moment when Liz had figured out the reason for Red joining with the FBI to catch blacklisters. Why he had warned her about Tom. Why he did everything in his powers to ensure that she was not in the line of fire. The look of confusion, hurt, delight and slight disgust that bloomed in her eyes was something that Red could not forget. 

“Mama isn’t home yet, Pumpkin. She will be soon, okay. You’ve had a long day, sweetheart. I’m going to go tuck you back into bed, alright,” said Donald quietly as he began slightly rocking his little girl in his arms. 

As Donald began to head toward the stairs, Allegra looked up over her father’s shoulder and stared directly into Red’s eyes and said, “are you going to bring my mama home?” 

The question stopped Donald in his tracks. 

As Red looked into his granddaughter’s eyes he saw the look pure innocence staring back at him. He knew that he could never allow that light in her eyes to extinguish. He had extinguished that same light from his own daughter’s eye and made a vow that moment that he would not do the same to Allegra. 

“I am going to do everything in my power to bring your mama home, Allegra,” promised Red. 

When Donald returned downstairs after getting Allegra down he noted Red’s absence from his home. Typical Reddington he thought, come sweeping in and leaves without a thought or notification. As Donald scanned his living room his eyes fell of a card placed next to his wedding photo on the album. 

The card had a single line of typed black font - #55 Thomas Keen.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was really hoping to have completed this story by Christmas day but I don't think I'm going to make it. With this chapter enters in the newest player in this story, and that is Tom Keen. As you can probably tell by my writing this story that I am not Tom's biggest fan. I honestly just want him out of the way on the show so Liz and Don can get together, but that's a lot of wishing that I don't think that even Christmas is going to cover. I hope you guys continue to enjoy Liz and Don's story and thank you all for your support. It really does mean a lot to me, so thank you all. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 
> 
> PS: I promise to finish this story by the new year, I hope.

The first thing that Elizabeth noticed was the distinctive salty scent of the ocean in the air when she awoke, blindfolded and strapped to a chair. She had fallen asleep during transport and had no idea where she was or how long it took to get her there. 

The first thing that sprung to her mind was Allegra and Don. The moment that Allegra was in Don’s arms she was able to breathe a little easier, she knew that her little girl was safe in her father’s arms. It was the same feeling that she felt when she herself was in Don’s arms, she always felt safe, loved and protected in his arms. The ease that knowing her family was safe was unable to counter the fact that she was being held hostage by unknown assailants that had known about her family and their whereabouts. Liz knew that working for the FBI entailed an inherent danger to one’s life, a fact that she had faced numerous times, but never had she been put in the situation that she now faced where her personal life had been so extensively invaded by her professional life. That was not entirely true, the fact that Raymond Reddington one of the FBI’s most wanted men and her biological father meant that for a few years of her life her professional and personal life had continually intruded upon each other. 

The greatest interlacing of her two lives came after the Anslo Garrick attack. Red had called her and warned her of Tom and his unworthiness of her trust. That seed that Red planted blossomed into something she could have never imagined; it destroyed her marriage and ultimately Tom. When the truth about Tom Keen was revealed it nearly destroyed her. The man that she thought was her husband was all lies; their life together was just a house of cards that came tumbling down when Don and Meera had found the evidence linking Tom to numerous criminal fractions all over the world as an exclusive hired mercenary. Tom fled the authorities the moment that he figured out that Liz and the FBI knew his true identity and was subsequently chased down by the FBI lead by Don and herself, with the aid of numerous international law enforcement agencies. 

They had chased Tom around the globe until they were able to corner him in Rio de Janeiro. In an attempt to hinder the authorities and Liz, Tom had inadvertently created a car explosion, killing himself in the process. Liz returned stateside, with Don in tow, and began rebuilding her life with Don becoming a central part of the rebuild. Life after Tom and the destruction of her personal life was difficult to say the least but at her constant side was Don, helping her through it all, with the interjection of Red every so often. She was able to rebuild a personal life, a life built on a foundation that she was absolutely sure of, one not built on lies but one of trust, mutual respect, and most importantly love. She was able to create something with Don that she never had with anyone else in the world. She knew that he would always protect her and love her, and never lie to her. One of the traits that she most loved about Don was his ability to always be straight forward, especially with her. He never skirted around issues, he always faced them head on, a trait that sometimes caused her serious unease when he was on the job. 

Still slightly groggy from the sleep and her thoughts surrounding her family Liz had yet to notice that she was not alone in the space. 

“Sir, she’s awake,” spoke one of the kidnappers into a cell phone. 

When Liz did realize that there were others in the room with her she heard footsteps approaching and the scrap of a chair be dragged close to her position. 

“Remove the blindfold,” ordered a voice that was vaguely familiar to Liz. 

The man that sat before her eyes was a ghost Liz thought. Her vision was playing tricks on her. The man in front of her could not possibly be real she thought. 

“Hello, Lizzie,” spoke Tom Keen sinisterly, “did you miss me?” 

“From your inability to speak, I’m going to venture that this is quite a surprise for you, sweetheart. I understand why, you thought I was dead but I can assure you that I am very much alive. You see I planned that diversion in Rio extensively, and quite beautifully I must say. I mean neither you nor anyone else figured that I survived that explosion and I was free to continue on with my life. However, my life has been missing something quite crucial. Would you like to venture a guess to what my life has been missing Lizzie?” 

As Liz listened to Tom her head began to spin with questions to how her ex-husband could be alive. The FBI and the Brazilian police had completed an extensive forensic investigation that detailed the death of Tom. They had found an extensive amount of DNA in the carnage of the explosion that was Tom’s to determine that he did indeed die during the explosion. 

“Do you have an answer to my question, Lizzie? Do you know what my life has been missing all this time? Do you? Well let me answer that question for you, sweetheart. My life has been missing you, my wife,” said Tom in the most serious and forceful voice that Liz had ever heard uttered from Tom Keen’s mouth as he moved ever closer to her position. 

“You see, I do still love you Lizzie,” as Tom inched ever closer to Lizzie, “and I really do miss you.”

“I know that all my lies were going to put a strain on our marriage, and I have chosen to ignore you dalliance from our marriage with that worthless brain dead of a person that is Special Agent Donald Ressler. I know that we can rebuild our marriage, Lizzie, I know we can. You just have to be willing to work with me on this, okay. Okay, Lizzie,” said a slightly crazed Tom as he placed his hands over Liz’s. 

“You just have to be willing to work with me, sweetheart. I know we can fix our marriage,” Tom gleamed as his eyes sparkled ever so crazily.


	8. Chapter 8

Raymond Reddington was not the most patient of men, especially when he was awaiting information pertaining to his daughter. Red had flown to Zurich to obtain information pertaining to Elizabeth’s location. Unlike the rest of the world who believed that Tom Keen had died in an explosion in Rio, Red always had a feeling that Tom had squirmed his way out of his death. And he was correct. Red had discovered that Tom had indeed escaped from his own death shortly after Elizabeth had given birth to Allegra. He however had decided that it was best to keep that piece of information to himself rather than alarming his daughter and her current husband of Tom’s existence. 

“Mr. Reddington,” spoke a man as he approached the table, “I apologize for my tardiness but I had other business that I needed to conclude before meeting with you.” 

“Well you’re here now, tell me what you have Briggs. My patience does not need to be tested any longer,” said Red frightening the man in question. Briggs had previously worked for Red to obtain information on other occasions and knew of less than patient side of Raymond Reddington. 

“I have obtained the information that you seek pertaining to the individual you seek. He seems to have bought a parcel of land in New York State, quite remote location actually. I have been able to find contracts and other information that implies that he has been constructing a building on the land. From the blueprints it looks like he has built himself quite a house actually. Runs on its own power grid, has its own source of water, and state of the art security defense system. It even has its own perimeter wall.” 

“Thank you, Briggs. You can leave the information table before you leave.” 

“You really have built yourself an armoured castle haven’t you, Tom,” Red spoke softly as he watched Briggs depart. Already developing a plan to rescue his daughter. 

…

Don had spent most of the night trying to come to terms with the message that Red had left him. Tom Keen couldn’t possibly be alive. He was dead. The forensics had confirmed it. But Red always had a way of causing doubt in everything that he thought was correct. How could Tom be alive? And why would he kidnap Liz? He had a million more questions running through his mind at that moment, none more than the health of his wife and his unborn child. 

“Meera, do we have anything on Tom Keen,” asked Don after deciding that he help if he was going to get any answers to his questions. 

“Tom Keen,” questioned Meera quizzically. 

“Why would we have anything on a man that has been dead for nearly seven year, Don? Why are you asking about Tom?” 

“Red was here,” answered Don. 

…

The news that Tom Keen might be alive spread like wildfire through the Post Office. The majority of the agents had been present when the initial man hunt for Tom had occurred and had witnessed the aftermath that his death had caused. The relative calm of the office erupted in agents running in and our trying to amass intelligence and contacts in a bid to find anything and everything they could on Tom Keen. 

Director Cooper was being constantly debriefed by not only his own agents but contacts from other intelligence agencies. None were aware that Tom Keen had survived the bombing in Rio. That worried Cooper most of all. The exploits of Tom Keen had only been exposed when they began looking for blacklisters. If it had not been for Reddington entering into an alliance with the FBI they would have never known about the criminal exploits of Tom Keen. 

“Sir,” addressed Agent Malik. 

“What do we have on Tom Keen?” 

“Up until this point, relatively nothing. No one had any idea that he was even alive. He has kept himself off the grid for nearly seven years.” 

“How can we have nothing on Tom Keen? And how the hell did Reddington find out that Tom Keen was alive?” 

“Sir,” interrupted Aram, “I think we may have something off the burner that Agent Malik discovered at the scene.” 

… 

“Donald, you’re going to need a babysitter,” informed Red as he dismounted from his private plane continuing his conversation with his son-in-law.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the writing continues. Hopefully you guys continue to enjoy Liz and Don's story. We are getting close to the end.
> 
> (PS: I've made a small change to the ending of the chapter as I felt that it did not gel right. I also changed the title of story. Picking out titles is like picking out your child's name, it is difficult task. Luckily with your own writing you have the power to change the name as you like and aren't stuck with a name you hate.)

Red watched as Donald said goodbye to Allegra. Red never had that chance with Elizabeth; he had left in the middle of the night. Walked away from everything that he loved in pursuit of something that he thought he needed. He soon discovered that the life he had chosen was no better than the life he had left, except the life he had chosen was even emptier than the one he had left. Red made a decision in that moment that he would do whatever it took to bring Elizabeth home to Allegra. 

“It’s time to go, Donald.” 

… 

“I traced the message that the burner received. The person who sent it definitely did not want it to be traced, but they have yet to meet the likes of my skills,” announced, a somewhat ecstatic, Aram as he quickly tapped away at his keyboard, directing Cooper and Meera to look at the mounted screens in the bullpen. 

“It looks like the message was sent from a remote location in upstate New York,” asserted Meera. 

“It is. It’s actually in a very remote location, it in quite dense brush. I’m going to try and bring up a satellite image of the location,” declared Aram tapping away even more furiously at the keyboard.

“Is that house,” questioned a slightly awestruck Cooper as the first satellite images began materializing on the screen. 

“More like a mansion,” piped Aram. 

…

“Isn’t it beautiful, Lizzie,” asked Tom as her pulled her along, somewhat forcefully with her hands still tied together, showing her the kitchen and the dining room. 

“I built it all for you, Lizzie. I know you always said that you wanted to get away from the city,” declared Tom, continuing to pull her along as he showed her the rest of the house. 

“No one is going to be able to find us here. We’re entirely off the grid, power, water, heating. The house runs entirely on solar power. Isn’t that amazing, Lizzie, we’ll be able to make up for all that lost time. It’ll be nice to get reacquainted after all this time, won’t it Lizzie.” 

And that was what Liz was afraid of. She had chased down criminals like Tom, intelligent, resourceful and out of their goddamn mind. From the moment that Tom had revealed himself she had begun to question if the explosion did something to his sanity. Tom was talking like they could just pick off from where their marriage had ended, like nothing had happened in the past seven years. Like the fact that their marriage had been based on lies and betrayal. That he wasn’t an internationally wanted criminal. Or that she was now happily married to another man whom she had had a child with and was carrying another. A fact that she believed that Tom had no idea about, and one that she hoped that he would not discover. Whatever state of mind that Tom was in it was highly unstable and most likely dangerous. 

“Tom, how did you manage to do all this,” asked Liz quietly as he continued steamroll through the conversation and explain the view from the living room’s window.

“That is an excellent question, Lizzie,” answered Tom slowly turning towards her, “one that we’ll answer over dinner. I know that you must be tired from traipsing all over the house, so why don’t you go rest up and get ready for tonight. I have something really special planned for you tonight.” 

Like that she had been dismissed. Liz had witnessed numerous guards while she was forced to tour the house and was escorted by one to a room where she was released from her handcuffs. The guard had left the room but not before locking the door on his way out. From what she had witnessed on her tour there was little chance of her escaping from the house. The house was teeming with guards and state of the art security equipment, the sheer amount of security cameras located on the property was frightening. Liz’s mind was teeming with hundreds of questions as she began to pace around the room. How had Tom survived? What has he been doing the past seven years? Why the hell did he want to rekindle their marriage? But most of all was how the hell was she going to escape from Tom’s grasp unscathed? 

Liz still had no idea where she was, but from the views that she had seen she must be somewhere in the north eastern United States. She needed a way to contact the outside world and tell them that she had been kidnapped by her crazy supposedly dead ex-husband but after searching the room and the bathroom she had no such luck. She could only hope that Don and the FBI were looking for her and would find a way to find her. 

… 

“Liz is pregnant, Red,” spoke Don as he sat across from his father-in-law on a private plane heading for upstate New York. 

“Mazel Tov, Donald,” remarked Red, “Allegra is going to be a very good big sister.” 

“You know what that means, Red. I don’t care who gets in the way. I am going to bring my wife home, safe and sound.” 

“And I would not want it any other way, Donald. I’m glad Lizzie has found someone willing to put everything on the line for her, even one as stubborn as you, Donald. “ 

When it had emerged that Reddington was Liz’s father Don had not been surprised. He had suspected as much when Raymond Reddington, one of the world’s most wanted criminals, turned up at the FBI’s Washington, DC office wanting to collaborate to catch the world’s most elusive criminals and wanting only to work with a rookie FBI profiler. Watching Liz discover that her biological father was Red was something to behold. While he thought her stabbing a pen into Red’s neck was drastic, watching Red explain why he had abandoned his daughter for a life of crime and Liz’s reaction was slightly unhinging. Red still had a small scar over his left eye due to his daughter’s throw with a glass vase. 

“Just because your Liz’s father and you know where she is doesn’t make me like you any more, Red.” 

“I would hope not, Donald. I do like to see you riled up. The plan to rescue Lizzie is simple. I have tasked a dozen ex-military personnel to take the mansion and you and I will follow closely behind. They are to use extreme force if necessary and if they do so on Tom Keen in the process I have no qualms about it. I would like to end the squirmy bastard’s life once and for all. Wouldn't you?” 

“I will do whatever it takes to bring my wife home. How long have you known that Tom was alive, Red. And why the hell did you not warn us,” asked a slightly bristled Don. 

“I have my reasons, Donald. Chiefly being that my daughter deserves happiness. She deserves a life where she does not have to experience pain or hurt or regret. I know how much it took for her to overcome the fact that she had married Tom and her obliviousness to his criminal activities and his placement in her life. I also know how much it took for the two of you to finally get together. I had not wanted to disturb that happiness with the fact that Tom Keen was alive. And had I thought it was prudent I would have handled him myself. Involving either you or Lizzie in my business was never my intention after our initial partnership, Donald. But now the both of us are going to have to work together once again. I can promise you this, Donald, I do care about my daughter and am willing to do whatever it takes to ensure her safe return. And you would be wise to take that into consideration when you enter that mansion.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter of Liz and Don's story. For now. I hope you enjoy it!

It was nearly two in the morning when Liz was awoken by sounds of shouting coming from outside of her bedroom. She had successfully maneuvered herself out of having to spend the night with Tom after enduring what can only be described as an arduous dinner, and had fallen into restless sleep thinking about how she was going to escape the nightmare she had become trapped in. Gunfire began emanating from outside her window moments later. 

“Come on, Lizzie,” announced Tom he charged through the door and roughly grabbing her, “we have company.”  
…

Meera watched as an FBI assault team began suiting up at one of the FBI’s black site offices. She had received confirmation from Cooper an hour earlier that her plan to have a team launch a raid on the compound Aram had discovered had been approved by their superiors. Meera was sure that Tom Keen was alive from all the intel she had been able to collect since she had received the call from Don. She just hoped that the team wasn’t too late to rescue Liz, or at least capture Tom. Far too many times had blacklisters slip out of their hands during the initial extractions and she was not about the let #55 on the Blacklist out of her hands for a second time if she could help it. 

“Aram, what’s the ETA to the compound,” asked Meera. 

“Should be about 30 minutes,” answered Aram, “good thing you got Cooper to approve the use of the choppers. Even better that I don’t have to be in those choppers.” 

Meera couldn’t help but let a small smirk appear on her face. No matter how much field work Aram had faced over the years as working as a FBI catching blacklisters, he still was very much the reluctant green agent shying away from any type of work that did not involve sitting in front of a computer. 

…

Red and Don watched as the team launched their assault against the mansion. The team had been fully briefed on the possible obstacles that they were going to face during the initial breach. 

“I do wonder why you always doubt my decision-making, Donald. You know I’m always right,” remarked Red as they watched the team took down numerous guards. The team had breached the main entrance and was entering the house when they received word. 

“Sir, we’ve breached the compound,” squawked a voice from the earpiece both Red and Don were wearing. 

“Well, Donald, time to go save our Lizzie.” 

… 

“Tom, where are we going,” asked Liz and she continued to struggle against Tom as they moved down one hall way after another followed by two separate guards. 

“We have guests, Lizzie. Uninvited guests at that,” answered Tom. “Guests that seem to think they can walk into my home and try to take what is mine is what good guests do.” 

The gunfire and shouting continued to get closer and closer to Tom and Liz’s location. 

From the moment the gunfire had begun Liz knew that she had a credible chance of escaping from Tom’s grasp. And now was her chance. Liz let all the years of training take over. She smashed Tom in the head with a nearby vase rendering him unconscious and then retrieving his weapon. The two guards that had been following were surprised by Liz’s actions and that momentary lapse in judgement meant the end for them.

Move. That was what her training had taught her. Never make yourself a target. A moving target is much harder to hit than a stationary one. Moving was all Liz could think about as she ran back towards a staircase she had seen before. The scene that met Liz at the bottom of a staircase looked like it had been transported from a Western film. Two sides both firing upon each other, mindlessly shedding bullets in hopes of hitting something. There was no way of getting through that fire fight without being shot in the process. 

As Liz ran up the staircase and back towards to the room where she was being held she began to feel the exhaustion that was beginning to overtake her system. The adrenaline surge was already beginning to wear off. Being pregnant as well didn’t help the situation either. 

“Liz! Liz! Are you here?” 

The moment that Liz heard her name she knew that she was safe. Don. Don was here and everything was going to be alright. 

“Don? Where are you?” 

“Really Lizzie,” spoke Tom as staggered towards her with blood streaming down the side of his head, “why do have to always choose him? Why does it always have to be Donald Ressler, Lizzie? What does he have that I don’t?” 

Tom had picked up one of the guards guns and was pointing it at Liz. 

“Hello, Tom,” declared Don as he moved towards the both of them. 

In a matter of seconds Liz had become a hostage again. 

“Hello, Donald. I see you decided to come and ruin all my plans and to steal my wife again,” sneered Tom as pointed the gun squarely at Liz’s head.

“I’ve done nothing of the sort, Tom. It seems that you have taken my wife hostage. How long have you been biding your time Tom? It’s been a long time since Rio.”

“Always the arrogant bastard aren’t we, Donald. You took what was mine. You and Red waltzed into the life I had created for Liz and you filled her mind with poison against me. You turned my own wife against me,” screamed Tom as he began backing away. 

Unbeknownst to Tom, Red was lurking in the shadows waiting for Tom to make a slip. 

“Hello, Tom,” spoke Red as he pressed the barrel of a gun into the back of Tom’s head, “how about you let my daughter go or I put a bullet through your head.” 

Like that Tom released Liz who subsequently ran into Don’s arms. 

“Donald, get Lizzie out of here. Tom and I have some unfinished business,” ordered Red. 

… 

The FBI tactical team exited the helicopters and were met with a scene of carnage. Bodies and bullet casings were littering the grounds. The team began their sweep of the compound with Meera at the helm. Their objective was to sweep the compound and look Liz or any evidence that might lead to her rescue. As well as capturing Tom Keen if they found him. 

As the team was about to breach the mansion Don and Liz walked out the front door.

“Don. Liz,” said Meera baffled, “what the hell are you doing here, Don?” 

“Ask the questions later, Meera. We need to move. We don’t know how many more of Tom’s guards are still wandering the grounds,” barked Don as he moved past Meera and a number of the FBI’s tactical team while holding onto his wife. 

Mere seconds’ later sections of the mansion began to explode. In a domino like fashion the mansion where Tom had held Liz captive were engulfed in a fiery blaze. 

“Dad,” screamed Liz as she tried to move towards the mansion but was held back by Don. 

“It’s okay, Liz. It’s okay,” said Don as he hugged his wife and watched the mansion become engulfed in even more flames than. 

… 

Few days later 

“Liz,” questioned Don as he handed her a cup of herbal tea after having put Allegra to bed. 

“I’m okay, Don. I still can’t believe he’s dead. I can’t believe my father is dead,” croaked Liz as tears began streaming down her face. 

An FBI forensic team had been called in and had completed a full survey of the mansion after the fire had been put out. It was determined that bombs had been placed throughout the mansion and had gone off after somebody released the detonation code. A total of six bodies had been found in the house. All were charred beyond physical identification. Forensic testing had identified one of the bodies as Tom Keen and another as Raymond Reddington. 

Liz was still shell shocked that her father was gone, as was Don. As much as Don had chased and despised Red throughout the years he could not fight the fact that Red did care about Liz. He gave up his life to find and save her and for that Don would always be grateful to Red, for not only brining her to life but brining her into his life. All he could do was hold his wife and try to comfort her as she came to the realization that her father was really gone. 

Allegra was the first one up next morning. And the only thing she wanted for breakfast was chocolate chip pancakes with whip cream and cinnamon sprinkles which her parents happily obliged her with. 

The doorbell disrupted the Ressler’s family breakfast. 

“Who could that be,” questioned Liz and she tried to wipe off some of the whip cream that had migrated itself onto Allegra’s cheek. 

Don opened the door to a delivery man with a large package in his hands. 

“Donald Ressler,” asked the delivery man. 

“Yes.” 

“Sign here.”

“Thank you, and Merry Christmas,” said Don as he manoeuvred the package into the foyer. 

“Daddy is that a present for me,” screeched Allegra as she ran towards the package. 

“No, Pumpkin. It’s a package for your mom.” 

“Don what is it,” asked Liz as she walked into the foyer. 

“I don’t know. There’s no return address. The date is posted today though.” 

Liz wearily opened the package. Inside all the stuffing paper and crinkle wrap that filled the box, Liz was able to find the true contents of the package. A small white bunny rabbit teddy bear that looked exactly like the one she had as a child. 

A small smile appeared on Liz’s face as she starred at the bunny rabbit. Raymond Reddington always had a way of escaping death and resurrecting himself as a new man. 

“Here you go, Allegra. It’s a present from your grandfather,” said Liz as she placed the white bunny rabbit, a symbol of a father’s love into her daughter’s hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This brings an end to this Liz and Don story. I hope you all enjoyed reading this and much as I have enjoyed writing it. Thank you for all your support!


End file.
